Coping with your Role as Caregiver

Stress.
This six letter word can be worse than any four letter word you have ever heard. Stress can affect
your health and keep you from providing the best care for your family member. So, what do you do to
keep healthy when there are so many stressful issues related to caring for your care receiver ?

WARNING SIGNS OF CAREGIVER STRESS

Anger at elder, family, doctors, services

Withdrawal/feeling overwhelmed

Anxiety/constant worry

Depression/no pleasure in anything anymore

Exhaustion/sleeplessness

Worsening of chronic conditions

Irritability

Lack of concentration/disorganization

Change in appearance of caregiver or environment

Stress adversely affects health. It may be a gradual process or it can show immediately. Either way,
it can cause serious health problems if not addressed. There are many ways to lessen stress. Experts say
the following are the most effective:

Exercise

Good Eating Habits

Support Groups

Get Informed

Meditation

Keep Active Socially

Faith Community Connection

Respite

What can caregivers do to prevent stress and burnout?

Keeping your health is one of the most important things you can do. If you don't take care of your own
health, you will find it increasingly more difficult to take care of the health of the one you care for.The following information offers suggestions on how to stay healthy.

Exercise
Check out your local community center or YWCA. Ask about Senior Citizen discounts. If you live in an apartment
community or neighborhood, you may have access to a swimming pool and exercise room. Get a friend
and start to use them. And, then there is the best exercise of all and it's free to everyone -
walking. Experts suggest thirty minutes of brisk walking every day. It's good for your heart and
your spirit.

Eat Right
It hasn't changed! Eat fruit, vegetables, and fiber. Eat other things in moderation. A little red
wine may be good for your heart. Take a multi-vitamin if your doctor agrees. Drink lots of water.
There is a wealth of healthy eating information
on the web that can be found using a search engine.

Don't Smoke
We all know about this one!

Keep Socially Involved
Experts will tell you that having friends and people that will support you is critical to good
mental health. Good mental health directly affects physical health. So, it is important to continue
to connect with friends and family on a regular basis.

If you would like to meet new people, Senior Centers are excellent places to start. Get involved in
community activities such as Senior Games or volunteer for your favorite charity. or contact your
local Area Agency on Aging for Senior Center contact information.

A faith community may provide you with social interaction as well. Use your imagination and find
the best match for you to help you keep engaged with others.

If you are disabled or if your mobility is limited, the computer can offer you a way to stay
connected and to keep the ties to friends and family strong. Many Senior Centers have computers a
vailable and provide instruction on their use. Public libraries also offer free computer access.
Don't become isolated. Reach out.

Respite
Sometimes just getting a break is all that you need. Sometimes getting a break is what makes everything
work. That's what respite is - a break for caregivers.

Respite is the provision of temporary relief to family members and other primary caregivers caring
for an impaired individual at home. It can be provided in a group setting, an individual setting or in a long term care facility.The availability of all three types of respite varies from county to county. Contact your local Area
Agency on Aging to see what is available in your community.

Another type of respite is available under a different name - Adult Day Care and Adult Day Health.
Your family member would attend such a program and have supervision that has been approved by the
state to meet certain standards of care.

If you belong to a faith community, it is also worthwhile to check within to see
what is offered to members. Assistance, including volunteer friendly visiting, may be available on either a sustained or temporary
basis.

Don't forget family and friends if you need help. Ask for help if you need it. Often,
people are more than happy to help but would never ask for fear of offending you. Sometimes, they
just don't know what to offer. Ask. You may be able to get the respite you need.

If you are able to arrange respite, take the time for you. Relax. Have fun. Do something
different and totally to pamper you. Even a short respite of a few hours can do wonders for your
mental health and state-of-mind. You will return refreshed and more ready to face the challenges of
caregiving.

Facts about caring for someone with Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia
If your family member has Alzheimer's Disease and/or dementia, your caregiver stress will be compounded. Please take careful note of the resources above. It is especially important for you to take care of yourself. This disease is devastating to both the individual affected and the caregiver.